Saturday, August 28, 2010
Starting to Smile
It's so awesome that Sunny is starting to smile! It just melts a mommy's heart. She really holds our gaze now and is so alert. She will also sometimes stick her tongue out at me in response to me sticking my tongue out at her.
New Adventures with Sunny
Susannah is 6 weeks old now and growing so fast! She now weighs in at 10 lbs 14 oz (clothed) and she's getting big for her age. She's so much more alert and active. She likes to lay on her back and look all around her, and she is making good eye contact with us now. When we put her on her belly, she pushes so hard with her little feet. I think she'll be crawling before we know it!
We're having so much fun with her. We're getting out on some good walks almost every day. Sunny loves being outside and gazing at the trees.
She's also making some new friends.
She's been a little bit cranky and gassy recently, which is apparently normal for around 6 weeks old. But holding her like this can usually calm her down.
It also helps that I've been getting back into yoga. I'm trying to get to one class a week, plus the post-partum class. Sunny comes to that one with me, and the wonderful teacher Elizabeth will hold her if she's cranky so that I can do some poses. It takes a village, right?
We're having so much fun with her. We're getting out on some good walks almost every day. Sunny loves being outside and gazing at the trees.
She's also making some new friends.
She's been a little bit cranky and gassy recently, which is apparently normal for around 6 weeks old. But holding her like this can usually calm her down.
It also helps that I've been getting back into yoga. I'm trying to get to one class a week, plus the post-partum class. Sunny comes to that one with me, and the wonderful teacher Elizabeth will hold her if she's cranky so that I can do some poses. It takes a village, right?
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Out and About
Susannah is a month old today, and I can't imagine her not being in our life. We're starting to get out and about more and are enjoying a bunch of firsts: first smiling at mommy, first bottle feeding (of pumped breastmilk), first trip to Burlington, first lunch out, first family party, first trip to the swimming pond...
I usually wear her in the moby wrap when we walk around town:
(Note the little hand waving up there)
It's really nice to have her close to me and she usually sleeps the whole time. She's also made her first friend, a strapping three-month-old named Forrest. They like to play together while their mommies hang out.
I don't want to give the impression that it's all bunnies and flowers. Sometimes Susannah is a crankypants, usually because she wants to eat RIGHT NOW. I find her cranky face adorable and hilarious, although it's hard when we are somewhere where it is inconvenient to eat RIGHT NOW such as driving down the highway.
I usually wear her in the moby wrap when we walk around town:
(Note the little hand waving up there)
It's really nice to have her close to me and she usually sleeps the whole time. She's also made her first friend, a strapping three-month-old named Forrest. They like to play together while their mommies hang out.
I don't want to give the impression that it's all bunnies and flowers. Sometimes Susannah is a crankypants, usually because she wants to eat RIGHT NOW. I find her cranky face adorable and hilarious, although it's hard when we are somewhere where it is inconvenient to eat RIGHT NOW such as driving down the highway.
It's Hard to Work When You Can't Think Straight
Progress on the house is slow because Charles is so sleep-deprived, but we're starting to feel better. We're beginning to find our rhythm with Susannah and she is (knock wood) starting to sleep in slightly longer increments. The past two nights she has given us TWO three-hour chunks of sleep. Charles has managed to pour the walls and floor of the carport (yay covered parking!) and is prepping to install the radiant heating and pour the basement floor.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Susannah is a Sweetie and We are Exhausted
The title of this post about sums it up: Susannah is 2 weeks old today and is a sweetheart. She's not quite as mellow as when she was first born, but she is still a good-natured little baby, and generally calms down pretty well as long as she gets what she needs right away. At this stage, she pretty much needs to nurse all the time. I am spending many, many hours a day on the couch breastfeeding her. I've been making my way through episodes of The Wire, the HBO series. I keep the sound low and use subtitles, and am hoping that Susannah doesn't pick up any inappropriate Baltimore slang. I've also been reading her Anne of Green Gables at night, for a more positive influence.
I'm still really exhausted from the birth, and am really looking forward to feeling healthy enough to take Susannah on walks. We've been experimenting with different baby wearing systems and I'm hopeful that we'll figure out one that works for us. So far the Ergo seems the most comfortable and supportive for my back, but she may be a little too small for it yet.
Susannah is up to 7 lbs 11 oz as of her 2 week check-up. All the doctors and nurses are impressed with her nursing and pooping prowess, as well as her weight gain. She's waking up every 1-3 hours day and night, so Charles and I are totally exhausted all the time. It's amazing how difficult simple tasks seem when you are so sleep deprived. Charles is trying to get back to working on the house, but is struggling to get anything done on so little sleep. Still, he is managing to get the stone and sand spread and drain tile laid, in preparation for pouring the floors soon.
Now, time for some cute pictures!
The family with Susannah looking a bit silly:
Really cute picture of Susannah and Charles:
Susannah loves mama's breast:
Susannah meets the grandparents:
Jaclyn
Mike and Sally
David and Audrey
I'm still really exhausted from the birth, and am really looking forward to feeling healthy enough to take Susannah on walks. We've been experimenting with different baby wearing systems and I'm hopeful that we'll figure out one that works for us. So far the Ergo seems the most comfortable and supportive for my back, but she may be a little too small for it yet.
Susannah is up to 7 lbs 11 oz as of her 2 week check-up. All the doctors and nurses are impressed with her nursing and pooping prowess, as well as her weight gain. She's waking up every 1-3 hours day and night, so Charles and I are totally exhausted all the time. It's amazing how difficult simple tasks seem when you are so sleep deprived. Charles is trying to get back to working on the house, but is struggling to get anything done on so little sleep. Still, he is managing to get the stone and sand spread and drain tile laid, in preparation for pouring the floors soon.
Now, time for some cute pictures!
The family with Susannah looking a bit silly:
Really cute picture of Susannah and Charles:
Susannah loves mama's breast:
Susannah meets the grandparents:
Jaclyn
Mike and Sally
David and Audrey
Monday, July 19, 2010
Welcome, Susannah!
Susannah Levin Harman entered the world at 1:33 pm on Thursday, July 15, 2010 at Gifford Birthing Center in Randolph, Vermont. She is beautiful and healthy, and Charles and I couldn't be more excited and happy!
The birth was the hardest thing I've ever done (harder than the Long Trail), but we made it through a natural childbirth without complications with the help of our amazing midwife Kipp and doula Laura.
Susannah is doing great and we were able to bring her home on Saturday. We are adjusting to life with her and spending a LOT of time breastfeeding. She is a championship suckler and we are loving getting to know her and her many sweet expressions.
Now I must sign off because it's time for Susannah to eat, RIGHT NOW.
The birth was the hardest thing I've ever done (harder than the Long Trail), but we made it through a natural childbirth without complications with the help of our amazing midwife Kipp and doula Laura.
Susannah is doing great and we were able to bring her home on Saturday. We are adjusting to life with her and spending a LOT of time breastfeeding. She is a championship suckler and we are loving getting to know her and her many sweet expressions.
Now I must sign off because it's time for Susannah to eat, RIGHT NOW.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Waiting Game
There have been some requests to see our tiny house and how it relates to the building site. Here's a picture:
As you can see, they are very close together indeed. Once the little house is finished, the plan is to sell the tiny house and move it off-site. Charles, ingenious man that he is, designed it to be moved on a truck. You can even fold the roof down!
In other news, my due date (July 9th) came and went yesterday, and we're still waiting for the little one to make her grand entrance. I finished up my work last week, so it's been nice to have this week to relax, read my birthing and baby books, and generally get mentally prepared for the baby. It's been incredibly hot, though, which is tough when hugely pregnant. Thank goodness for the small air conditioner which cools our tiny house (and guilt-free, as we can only run it off the solar panels when the sun is out)!
I've also been swimming almost every day at our great ponds in Calais. This is a typical afternoon at Curtis Pond with my friend Sarah and her baby Forrest:
As you can see, they are very close together indeed. Once the little house is finished, the plan is to sell the tiny house and move it off-site. Charles, ingenious man that he is, designed it to be moved on a truck. You can even fold the roof down!
In other news, my due date (July 9th) came and went yesterday, and we're still waiting for the little one to make her grand entrance. I finished up my work last week, so it's been nice to have this week to relax, read my birthing and baby books, and generally get mentally prepared for the baby. It's been incredibly hot, though, which is tough when hugely pregnant. Thank goodness for the small air conditioner which cools our tiny house (and guilt-free, as we can only run it off the solar panels when the sun is out)!
I've also been swimming almost every day at our great ponds in Calais. This is a typical afternoon at Curtis Pond with my friend Sarah and her baby Forrest:
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